This is essentially a playground designed for people of different backgrounds to put their minds together and create something that could make a difference in this world. It started as an itch that needed scratching, so Dr. Ivor Kovic initiated this community with high hopes that people who can make this vision come true will join and contribute to the project. Read more about the people behind the openECGproject.

Simply put open means free. An open source product is liberally licensed to grant the right of users to study, change, and improve its design through the availability of its source code. Both hardware and software can be open source, and such a product would offer the free release of information about the hardware design, such as schematics and use free software to drive the hardware.

Why does it matter

The electrocardiogram (ECG), which records electrical activity from the heart, is a vital clinical tool doctors use to assess numerous and sometimes life threatening heart conditions, like the heart attack (myocardial infarction). The importance of having such a diagnostic tool readily available is further emphasized by the fact that we are facing a global heart disease epidemic and that these diseases are the No. 1 cause of death in most countries of the world. Unfortunately, ECGs can be quite expensive and not all medical facilities or doctors can afford them. This is especially true for those living and working in countries of the Third World, but not just them.

If this project fulfills its purpose such people could build their own affordable, safe and clinically useful ECGs or have someone else do it for them. Since the solution would be open and free, interested companies could start producing and selling it for a more competitive price than those of commercially available products on the market today.

All about you

This project and community depend on YOU. They need your help. There is no big corporation behind this, it is just you and other people like you. If you leave without contributing in any way, this site, this community, this project, this idea will fail without ever achieving its noble goal.